OVP acknowledges that Duterte departed the Philippines with his family but calls the timing "unfortunate."

The Vice President's Office verified that Vice President Sara Duterte is traveling abroad for personal reasons with her family, as her pre-approved trip was scheduled during Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon in Luzon.

"The timing of the trip coinciding with Typhoon Carina is unfortunate. Nonetheless, the Disaster Operations Center of the OVP, institutionalized by the Vice President, is always ready to assist families affected by calamities," the OVP said.

This occurs one day after Duterte and her family were purportedly said to have left for Germany early on Wednesday in a Manila Bulletin story. The vice president did not specify when Duterte departed the Philippines in her statement, but it was said that she was observed departing with her kids and her mother, Elizabeth Zimmerman.

Rep. Edcel Lagman criticized the vice president for traveling during a state of emergency, accusing her of showing a "lack of empathy and concern" amid the crisis. Lagman maintained that Duterte ought to have personally responded to the needs of storm victims and permitted her family to go on their trip.

The southwest monsoon generated typhoon Carina, which has affected an estimated one million people and resulted in at least 14 deaths. The Metro Manila Council declared the National Capital Region a state of calamity to secure emergency funding for swift relief efforts.